The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-10

under the flesh as he strained the heavy
brace.
The great yards swung easily: the
top-sail, top-gallant and royal yard:
came round with the main yard, and
swung themselves when the sails filled.
There was no time to gather in the
slack of the lee braces. / ran to wind
ward, Delayed the braces and raised s
loud cry.
They're after US, boson!-they're
after us!''
Only the quarter-boat was in pursuit
as yet They no doubt had guessed
their scheme had been baffied by dis
covering three men on board the ship.
As the boat approached l saw she
was rowed by four men, and that Ste
vens was steering her, making five in
all We made ready to receive them,
each of us arming ourselves with heavy
Delaying pins called to Miss Rob-
ertson to keep the ship steady as she
was.
The boat, urged furiously through
the water, came up to US hand over
fist, the carpenter cursing US furiously,
and swearing that he would do for us
yet
got my pistol ready, meaning to
shoot the ruffian the moment he should
! be within reach Of the weapon, but
| abandoned this intention from . motive
of hate and revenge. l knew if killed
him as he sat there in the stern-sheets
that the others would take fright and
run away. and such was my passion,
and the sense of our superiority over
them from our position in the ship as
against theirs in the boat, that made
up my mind to let them come alongside
and get into the chains, so that We
might kill them all as a warning to the
occupants of the lOng-boat, who were
now coming down upon us before the
breeze.
took one glance at Miss Robertson;
her figure was visible by the side of
the wheel. She was steering as steadi-
ly as any sailor, and with an emo
ton of gratitude to God for giving us
such help. and her 50 much courage at
| this supreme moment, addressed all
my energies to the bloody work before
me.
The boat dashed alongside, and the
men threw in their oars. The fellow
in the bow grabbed hold of one of the
chain-plates. passed the boat painter
around it, hauled it short and made it
fast with incredible activity and speed.
Then, pulling their knives out of their
sheaths, they all came clambering into
the main chains.
SO close as they now were, | could
make out the faces of the men. One
was big johnson, another Cornish, the
third Fish, the fourth Schmidten.
alone was visible. The bOatswain
and the steward stood with untitled
arIus ready to strike at the first head
that showed itself.
The carpenter sprung on to the bull
wark just where l stood. He poised
his knife to stab me under the throat.
Now you murdcrops, treacherouS
ruffiann' | cried, at the top of my
voice, SAY your prayers" l leveled
the pistol at his head. the muzzle not
being a yard away from his face, and
pulled the trigger. The bright flash il
Illuminated him like a ray of lightning.
He uttered scream, shrill as n child's,
but terrific in intensity, clapped his
hands to his face and fell like a stone
into the main-chainS.
1T is your turn now!" l roared to
johnson, and let fly at him. He was
holding on to one of the main-shrOuds
in the act of springing in to the deck.
| missed his head, but struck him on
the arm, | think: for he let 90 the
shrOud with deep groan, reelcd back
ward and toppled overheard, and l
heard the heavy splash of his body as
he fell.
But we were not even now, .hrce to
three, but three to one; for the boat
swain had let drive with his frightful
belaying-pin at Fish's head, just as
that enormous prOtuberancc had shown
itself over the bulwark. and the wretch
lay dead or stunned in the boat along
side; while the steward, who had Sc
GREETED a huge carving-knife in his
bosom, had stabbed the buchanan
right III the stomach. leaving the knife
in him; and the miserable creature
hung over the bulwark, head and arms
hanging down toward the water, and.
suddenly writhing as he hung, dropped
overheard.
Cornish, of all five men, alone lived.
| had watched him aim blow at the
boatswain's back, and fired, but Missed
him. But he too had missed his aim,
and the boatswain, sluing round,
struck his wrist with the Delaying pin
-whack! it sounded ike the blow of
a hammer on woodland the knife fell
from his hand.
- Mercy! spare my life!" he roared,
seeing that had again covered him,
having two more shots left.
The steward. capable, now that things
had gone well with us, OF performing
prodigies of valor, rushed upon him.
laid hold of his legs, and pulled him
off the bulwark on to the deck.
thought the fall had broken his
back, for he lay grooming and motion
less.
Don't kill him!" Icried. "Make his
hands fast and leave him for the pres:
emit We may want him by and by"
The boatSwain whipped 4 ropes end
round him and showed him against the
rail, and then came running up tho
poop-ladder, wiping the streaming per-
spiratiCn from his face
The breeze was freShening, and the |
boat alongside wobbIed and splashed |
as the ship towed her through the
water.
ran aft and stared into the gloom |
astcrn. L could see nothing of the |
lOng-boat. l looked again and again,
and fetched the night-glass, and by its
aid, sure enough, L beheld her, a
on the even ground of the
gloom, standing away close to the !